Splicing method and apparatus



Jan. 24, 1967 A. v. ALEXEFF SPLICING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21,1964 INVENTOR.

- ALEXANDER V. ALEXEF'F ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,299,843SPLICING METHOD AND APPARATUS Alexander V. Alexetf, Cleveland, Ohio,assignor to Industrial Ovens, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 391,173 8 Claims. (Cl.112-262) The present invention relates to uniting together by sewingmeans adjacent ends of elongated members and, more particularly, to asplicing method and apparatus for stitching together overlapped ends offabric strips or the like intended to move in-line along a generaldirection of travel.

It is often necessary in various industrial operations to join parts ofvarious materials being passed, normally seriatim, through a certainprocessing operation. As an example, on a tire manufacturing productionline, it is necessary periodically to stitch or splice the leading endof a new roll of tire cord fabric to the tail end of a roll of fabricbeing processed and about to be exhausted.

A means stationed laterally of such direction.

In the past, the practice has been to pass a sewing head ice 1y heavysewing head past overlapped fabric ends which do not undergo any lateralmovement. More particularly, in one form of the invention, a sufiicientlength of each of the ends of a leading fabric strip and a succeedingfabric strip are gathered and overlapped to immobilize such lengthswhile avoiding substantial interruption of the movement of at least theleading strip along the-general direction of a production line. Theoverlapped ends are temporarily removed from the direction of travelalong the production line and passed through sewing or stitchingPreferably, the overlapped ends are passed through or by the sewingmeans in a course back toward the general direction of travel (withoutmoving the sewing head relatively to such direction) simultaneously tosplice the overlapped ends and return them to movement along the generaldirection of travel, all in one operation.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus illustrated includes asplice-preparation table generally indicated at T. The table includes aflat open surface 10 which supports fabrics F and F in their generaldirection of travel along a production line which is indicated by anarrow 11 of FIGURE 1. Table T also includes a lateral extension of jig12 designed to accomplish the stitching or splicing of the adjacent endsof fabric F and F at a point, as illustrated, removed or displaced fromthe general direction production, especially should it be required tostop the 7 production line to effect a splice.

It has now been found that quite substantial savings can be realized,not only in simplicity of operation and equipment used, but in theresulting economics, by actually displacing the fabric ends, or thelike, from their general direction of travel and then translating thefabric ends with respect to stationary sewing means rather than viceversa.

It is, accordingly, a principal object of the present invention toprovide improved method and apparatus for uniting by sewing meansportions of various members.

Another object is to provide an improved method and apparatus forstitching together by mechanical sewing means two elongated membersmoving in-line along a path of travel.

A further object is to splice relatively quickly the ends of fabricstrips or the like moving seriatim along a general direction of travelby displacing such ends from the direction of travel, and then stitchingand returning the ends to such travel direction in one operation.

Additional object and advantages are apparent from the following figuresand description wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partly diagrammatic, plan view of one form of the presentinvention, showing the general direction of travel of fabric strips andtheir overlapped ends displaced laterally thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a left hand end view of FIGURE 1 with the fabric stripsremoved;

FIGURE 3 is a right hand end view of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section of FIGURE 2 on the line 44; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of one of the tapes of the illustratedapparatus.

Basically, in accordance with the present invention, fabric strips orthe like are translated past a stationary sewing head, rather thanattempting to translate a relativeof the arrow 11.

Means are provided to continuously move a portion of one of the fabricsF and F along their general direction of travel. This moving means isillustrated as including a drive roll R. p v

The extension 12 includes'spaced horizontal frames 13 that are suitablysupported by posts 14. Rollers 15, 16, and 17 are journaled for rotationon the extension 12; the first two rollers being pivotally carried bythe frames 13, and the last roller being underslung and pivotallycarried by vertically depending side strips 18. A pair of spacedapartparallel tapes 19 are trained around the rollers 15, 16 and 17 which, asindicated in FIGURE 4, preferably have circumferential slots 20 toreceive the tapes and hold them in align-ment. Each tape has gripping orhook means temporarily to grip the fabrics F and F Conveniently, thehook means may take the form of nails 21 (FIGURE 5) which protrude fromand are spaced along the tapes '19.

A fixed stand 22 located to one side of the extension 12, supports aconventional sewing head 23 in overlying relation to the tapes 19. Asindicated, the sewing head can be of standard construction such as thosesewing means illustrated in United States Patents No. 1,983,258 or No.2,045,188. The use of multiple needles 24 is recommended. In the courseof their travel, the tapes 19 straddle the needles 24 (FIGURE 4) as wellas a pair of pull rollers 25 which are pivotally supported by the stand22 and vertically pinch the fabrics lying atop the tapes. Standard meanssuch as an electric motor (not shown) drive the rollers 25 and therebytranslate the gripped fabrics. Preferably, for reasons hereinaftermentioned, the movement of the fabrics and tapes is such that the upperflights of the tapes move toward the fiat open surface 10.

As a modification, the tapes 19 are preferably metallic. This enablesthe use of magnetic weights, such as magnetic bars 26, which are placedatop the overlapped fabric ends to hold them tightly against theunderlying metallic tapes during a stitching operation.

To illustrate one specific embodiment, in processing approximately 1.25inches in width and 0.08 inch in thickness. The two tapes were spacedapart approximately inches. The sewing head had ten needles spaced toextend five to six inches transversely of the tapes.

In operation, a section of canvas (not shown) may be placed over theextension 12, with one end of the canvas extending through the sewingmachine pulling rolls 25. The rest of the canvas is spread over bothtapes 19 and hooked upon the nails 21. The canvas is not essential butpreferably used to reduce friction in translating the fabric ends. Iftime is not critical, the production line can be stopped while this andthe subsequent steps are carried out, although an important advantage ofthe present invention is that the splicing operation can be accomplishedso quickly that movement of at least the leading fabric strip F need notbe interrupted.

One end portion of the new fabric roll F is next placed on top of thecanvas and spread and hooked upon the nails 21, so that an edge 26extends over both tapes 19. The tail end of the fabric being processed Fis then also spread and hooked upon the nails 19, so that its trailingedge 27 also extends over both tapes. takes but a few seconds tocomplete. As shown by FIG- URE 3, a sufficient length of each fabric endis gathered to allow some draping of the fabric over the sides of theextension 12. This is particularly desirable if the movement of thefabric F is not to be interrupted as described.

This operation terrupting said continuous movement, placing theoverlapped ends laterally of said direction of travel and beyond asewing head, passing the overlapped ends through the sewing head on acourse back toward the general direction of travel without moving thesewing head relatively to said direction of travel simultaneously tosplice the overlapped ends and return the spliced fabric ends tomovement along said general direction of travel.

3. Apparatus for uniting together members moving seriatim along .anormal path of travel comprising means defining a normal path of travelfor said members, means for continuously moving a portion of one of saidmembers along said normal path, stationary sewing means positioned atone side of said normal path of travel in spaced relationship withrespect to said members, conveying means cooperating with said sewingmeans and adapted to move in a path angularly related to said normalpath of travel, said angularly related path extending from said normalpath of travel beyond said sewing head, and means on said conveyor meansto receive overlapped end portions of two of said members, whereby theoverlapped members are united while being translated along saidangularly related path from a location beyond said sewing head.

4. Stitching apparatus for securing together two elongated membersmoving in-line along a normal path of travel comprising means defining anormal path of travel for said members, means for continuously moving apor- If it is desired to insure that the fabric ends and canvas remainhooked regardless of possible mishandling, magnetic bars 26 are placedatop each tape and adjacent to the nails 21 should they protrude throughthe superposed canvas and fabrics. fied layers of material to bestitched tightly against the steel tapes while the sewing operation isbeing performed.

When all preparations as outlined are completed, the sewing cycle isstarted by energizing the drive rolls 25, as by means of a foot switchat the base of the stand 22, It requires only a few seconds to run thesuperposed fabric strips through the sewing machine head 23 and backover the fiat surface 10. One overall operation required but 30 seconds.The tapes 19 pass around roll 15 and be- The magnetic bars hold theidentition of one of said members along said normal path, serving meanspositioned at one side of said normal path of travel in spacedrelationship with respect to said members, belt means cooperating withthe sewing means and adapted to be driven in a path angularly realted tosaid normal path of travel, said angularly related path extending fromsaid normal path of travel beyond said sewing head, and gripping meanson said belt means to receive overlapped end portions of said twomembers, whereby the overlapped q members are stitched together whilebeing translated along neath the extension 12, as indicated in thedirection of ar- While the foregoing describes a presently preferredembodiment, it is understood that the invention may be practiced instill other forms within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of splicing adjacent ends of strips moving seriatim in anormal feed path; the steps of overlapping two associated end portionsof two consecutively fed strips while continuously feeding one of thestrips along a normal feed path, placing the overlapped portionslaterally of said feed path and beyond .a splicing means, returning theoverlapped portions to the feed path by passing them through thesplicing means while operating said splicing means.

2. In a method of splicing by a sewing head adjacent ends of fabricstrips or the like wherein at least the leadsaid angularly related pathfrom a location beyond said sewing head.

5. Splicing. apparatus for securing together adjacent ends of fabricstrips or the like moving seriatim in a normal path of travel comprisingmeans defining a normal path of travel for said strips, means forcontinuously moving a portion of one of said strips along said normalpath, a sewing head permanently installed at one side of said normalpath of travel in spaced relationship with respect to said strips,spaced-apart continuous tape means extending in a path angularly relatedto said normal path of travel, said angularly related path of travelextending from said normal path of travel beyond said sewing head,gripping means along the tape means to receive adjacent ends of thefabric strips and hold them in overlapped relation, and means totranslate the tapes in said angularly related path.

6. The splicing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means to translate thetape means moves the latter back toward the normal path of travelsimultaneously to splice the overlapped ends and re-establish thespliced fabric strips in the normal path of travel.

7. Splicing apparatus for securing together relatively quickly theadjacent ends of fabric strips or the like moving seriatim in a normalpath of travel, comprising a splice-preparation table defining saidnormal path of travel, means for continuously moving a portion of one ofsaid strips along said normal path, a sewing head having stitching meansfixed with respect to the table and laterally of said normal path oftravel in spaced relationship with respect to said strips, spaced-apartsusbtantially parallel tapes mounted to pass through the sewing head andon opposite sides of the stitching means in a path angularly related tosaid normal path of travel, said angularly related path of travelextending from said normal path of travel beyond said sewing head, nailmeans protruding from and spaced along each tape adapted to re- 5 ceiveadjacent ends of the fabric strips and hold them in overlapped relation,and means to translate the tapes in said angularly related path.

8. Splicing apparatus for securing together adjacent ends of fabricstrips or the like moving seriatim in a normal path of travel comprisingmeans defining a normal path of travel for said strips, a sewing headpermanently installed .at one side of said normal path of travel inspaced relationship with respect to said strips, spaced apart continuousmetallic tape means extending in a path angularly related to said normalpath of travel, said angularly related path of travel extending fromsaid normal path of travel past said sewing head, gripping means alongthe tape means to receive adjacent ends of the fabric strips and holdthem in overlapped relation, means to translate the tapes in saidangularly related path, and magnetic weights adapted to overlie theoverlapped fabric ends and assist in holding said ends to the tapemeans.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,049,304 12/1912Isherwood 112203 1,460,891 7/1923 De Voe 112203 X 1,720,658 7/1929 Gail1122 2,141,104 12/1938 Buccicone 22693 2,150,527 3/1939 Talmadge 112-2032,444,335 6/1948 Coppock 1122 2,546,831 3/1951 Newell 112---252X2,598,451 5/1952 Simpson 226-93 2,836,135 5/1958 Briggs 1122X 3,097,3817/1963 Kline et a1. 12142 3,167,041 1/1965 Briggs 1122 15 JORDANFRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A METHOD OF SPLICING ADJACENT ENDS OF STRIPS MOVING SERIATIM IN ANORMAL FEED PATH; THE STEPS OF OVERLAPPING TWO ASSOCIATED END PORTIONSOF TWO CONSECUTIVELY FED STRIPS WHILE CONTINOUSLY FEEDING ONE OF THESTRIPS ALONG A NORMAL FEED PATH, PLACING THE OVERLAPPED PORTIONSLATERALLY OF SAID FEED PATH AND BEYOND A SPLICING MEANS, RETURNING THEOVERLAPPED PORTIONS TO THE FEED PATH BY PASSING THEM THROUGH THESPLICING MEANS WHILE OPERATING SAID SPLICING MEANS.